The Hare Krishna Challenge: Exposing A Misdirected Civilization

by A.C. Bhaktivedanta

Paperback

Published January 1, 2014

About the author

His Divine Grace Abhay Charanaravinda Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada (अभय चरणारविन्द भक्तिवेदान्त स्वामी प्रभुपाद)was born as Abhay Charan De on 1 September 1896 in Calcutta, India.

He first met his spiritual master, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Gosvami, in Calcutta in 1922. Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati, a prominent devotional scholar and the founder of sixty-four branches of Gaudiya Mathas (Vedic institutes), liked this educated young man and convinced him to dedicate his life to teaching Vedic knowledge in the Western world. Srila Prabhupada became his student, and eleven years later (1933) at Allahabad, he became his formally initiated disciple.

At their first meeting, in 1922, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura requested Srila Prabhupada to broadcast Vedic knowledge through the English language. In the years that followed, Srila Prabhupada wrote a commentary on the Bhagavad-gita and in 1944, without assistance, started an English fortnightly magazine.

In the last ten years of his life, in spite of his advanced age, Srila Prabhupada circled the globe twelve times on lecture tours that have took him to six continents. In spite of such a vigorous schedule, Srila Prabhupada continued to write prolifically. His writings constitute a veritable library of Vedic philosophy, religion, literature and culture.

Reviews

[Lingui5t · Rating 1 out of 5]

This volume was very hard to find. I wonder if I'll find anything in it that ISKCON is trying to hush up. I happen to know that Prabhupada distinctly taught against homosexuality, yet also against abortion, essentially alienating every American at least in one way (this book would be no different). I began it looking forward to finding out why this book has been essentially removed from ISKCON's "lists" (e.g., it is not available on prabhupada.io) . . .

The subtitle confirms my suspicion: 'Exposing a Misdirected Civilization.'

A haughty claim about a civilization with, say, religious freedom, the freedom to marry a person of your choosing . . .

This not to say there isn't still plenty of room for Western societies to grow, but it is hard to deny they have essentially set the tone for maximizing recognition of human social liberty (even if it has failed miserably in certain respects in upholding it).

An interview excerpted at the following link (fully printed as Ch. 4 of this book) is the quintessential example of Prabhupada (the Krishna leader)'s attitude that made me disappointed once I started reading his actual works. In all his books he sounds like this, forcing the reader to root for the other guy every time. The rudeness, the audacity of the claims, the hubris, the closed mind, are all staggering: https://back2godhead.com/srila-prabhu...

This book is enough to convince anyone that Prabhupada is not some sort of special holy man. During interfaith dialogue, he routinely retorts to, e.g. priests, "This is foolishness" and such comments as: "Animal-killers [e.g. Christians, who teach eating meat is not a sin] cannot understand God. I have seen this; it is a fact. They do not have the brain to understand God." (p. 80)

Prabhupada returns again and again, very proud of himself for having made this discovery, that 'Thou shalt not kill' conflicts with the Christian habit of eating meat. He is even audacious enough to claim that to justify eating meat is "misinterpretation of the Bible." (!)

Had he made an inch of progress beyond his own hubris to learn about either the Christian or the Judaic tradition, Prabhupada would know that the entire Bible permits & prescribes the eating of certain meat, detailing exactly how God Almighty wants meat to be eaten by His people. The undisputable answer is certainly not "not at all."

"We believe Krishna because it's true.
It's true because . . . it's Krishna . . . ?"
This is the pitiable thought process of a man who condescends to earnest seekers, WHO and UN employees, journalists, university students, and International Labor Organization workers.

Everything that diverges from Prabhupada's ideas is "foolishness" and everyone who does so is a "rascal." Young people are attracted to people who sound like they have certainty. Ayn Rand had similar influence, in no small part because she was dead-set on the "objective truth" of her extreme characterizations. Most big conversions take place when young. The impressionable and less mature folks who compose the majority of those attracted to ISKCON are much more comfortable in a setting without nuance; this is why even more extreme movements are also populated mostly with younger people. Language like "They are the enemy" and "This is timeless truth and everything else is dead-wrong error" comforts (read: manipulates) the young, and then the group can claim this aspect of their membership as "fervor" and "a groundswell of excitement."

In short, once you know what to look for in a spiritual leader, you realize that Prabhupada's manner of imparting these truths and the way he encourages belief in them fall far short of it.

[Khushi · Rating 2 out of 5]

I found this book to be rather disappointing. I did not receive the insight into Hinduism and its principles that I had hoped and expected. Instead, I thought it was a somewhat haughty, closed-minded, and conceited read. I thought the arguments offered in support for the few things that I truly agreed with were unconvincing and reeked of arrogance.

[TΞΞL❍CK Mith!lesh · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a selection of essays in the form of conversations with Srila Prabhupada, the founder of ISKCON. Srila Prabhupada gives the Vedic outlook on the subjects such as reincarnation, unrestricted sex, cow slaughter and meat eating, proof of the soul's existence, social reform, scientific progress and many more. Srila Prabhupada's teachings and his life demonstrate that the message of the ancient Vedas is by no means outdated but relevant to all people in the modern age.

[Neeraj Alavelli · Rating 5 out of 5]

Exposing the flaws of the misdirected civilization, perfectly relevant even after 5 decades.

[Debasish Tudu]

Very nice book, and as it said it exposes the woke civilization, for me it stood with his promise. I wish to remember the essays when I meet an woke person trying to do his stupidity.

[Anisha Prasad · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hare Krishna🙏

This book deals with perfect questions of this material world and provide answers with spiritual understanding. Be it eating non- veg, the reason for our suffering, why to abstain from abortion and many more.

One should read this book to get perfect answers.

All glories to Srila Prabupada🙏🙏

[Swapnil Shriram · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent

[Guru Prenesh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very nice

[Jyotishman Hazarika · Rating 5 out of 5]

Simple narrative and great book to start with.